#chillswim

‘Enter the lake here, it will be a calm walking entry as you’ve got a long way to go, keep swimming until you reach the blue matting, don’t stand up too soon, try to beach yourself. Like a whale.’

Colin was standing in the rain at the start of the ChillSwim Coniston End to End. As the name suggests, it’s a swim from one end of Coniston to the other. 5.25 miles away.

A week before, I had been stood on the shores of Loch Lomond on a crisp, chilly Saturday morning with a glass-like loch in front of me. 

This body of water was looking quite different. Well, what I could see of it through buckets of rain was, anyway.

But here I was. On the start line of what I’ve been working towards all summer. Torrential rain or not, I was ready. I knew I was. I’d done the training; I’d endured, I’d raced, I’d strengthened. I definitely wasn’t the same person who had signed up with my friend Liz, months ago, not quite sure if we’d actually go through with it. I was a swimmer now.

I’d taken 17 minutes off my 4 month old 5k time at the Great Scottish Swim the weekend before without pushing hard, and that had prompted the decision to start with a faster wave on race day. The conditions at Loch Lomond had been perfect, the Loch had been flat and calm, there had been no wind and I had eaten three breakfasts. As I tried to spot the first buoy from the shore of Coniston I was wondering whether that decision was wise, but there wasn’t much I could do about it now. My green hat was on and my wave 5 start time was rapidly approaching.

There was chatter and laughter as we pottered down to the waters edge, straight in to the tropical 16 degree water amidst smiles and well wishes, and we were off.

Sighting for that first mile proved tricky (it’s tricky for me at the best of times). I set off a little bit too fast, trying to go with the people in the front of the wave. I found myself dropping back and as I breathed to both sides, I couldn’t see any other tow floats around me, only those pulling further ahead. Convinced I was now last, I tried not to panic, or to cry into my goggles (I had an irrational thought that they’d make me stop if I got too far behind). I had a quick word with myself, and deciding that 5.25 miles is an awfully long way to swim trying to play catch up, I concentrated on swimming at my own tried and tested pace.  Allowing myself to look back only when I’d reached the first feed boat, I saw a sea of tow floats behind me and realised I’d just been swimming between the first and second pack. Panic over. Energy drink consumed. Deep breaths taken. A giggle shared with the feed boat crew and off I went. The next few miles passed uneventfully. I settled into my stroke, passed 5k around the time I had hoped for and began to allow myself to get excited that within half an hour I’d be entering the final mile. 

And then the swell came. 

There wasn’t loads of it, and it seemed to come and go, but it was definitely there. Hello chop. It just made everything a bit more difficult at a point in the race I was starting to get a bit fatigued. Still, ploughing on, I gave up sighting very much as all I saw for a mile was what seemed to be waves and tow floats.

A quick time check at the last feed station (which I had taken to stopping at for a quick chat and a laugh more than needing the edible goodies they had on offer) showed me that there was a chance of reaching my 'A’ time goal, but I’d lost a bit of focus and energy in the last half a mile, and I’d need to get a wiggle on to make it.

Head down, off I went. My shoulder had started to grumble and there may have been a bit of shouting* (*quite a lot of swearing) into the water and a slightly peculiar adaptation of my stroke, but I wasn’t losing too much time. After fighting through the reeds at the finish, I emerged 2 hours and 57 minutes after I started like a boggy swamp monster to my family and friend Laura who were excellently positioned right on the finish line. So well positioned that it meant I didn’t even have to cross the actual finish line or timing mat to see them. Very glad they were paying attention to usher me the right way.

It wasn’t quite the race I had been expecting. I think Scotland had spoilt me with perfect weather and conditions the week before, but it was definitely worth the rain, the chop and the fight. Reaching the shore at the end of the swim was pretty special. Not for the first time, I almost had a little cry into my goggles. Sharing the achievement of my longest swim with the people that have followed the ups and downs of training was ace. One ahead of me in the lake, one behind, and one on the bank. Doesn’t get better than that! 

Covered in lake and wearing all the layers, I headed straight to the pub and the rain and the celebrations continued well into the evening.

And the next morning, when our arms didn’t work, we left the last of the hangovers on a 7 mile hike. 

All in all, a brilliant weekend. Thank you, Coniston. Thank you, Team Rainbow. Thank you, arms. 

Coniston, the morning after the swim. Calm. Still. Typical. 

I had the most amazing time at Chill Swim! People were so kind to me and sorta treated me like a mini celebrity. They kept making a big deal out of how I traveled here all the way from the U.S. to swim this event! I was the first American to ever do so. Other Americans have come but only because they already lived in the U.K. I swam really well! They were all so much fun. 

 The 450m... Well, I did one too many laps. I got a little confused and wasn't thinking even though I had a lap counter. Hahaha!The best part was the 1k British champs the next day! I didn't sign up but a nice swimmer named Jason Betley dropped out and he told them I wanted to swim in his place. I am so thankful because it was awesome to be able to swim for longer, and the water did feel amazingly warm compared to the freezing temps I had been swimming in Boston. 

I am finally here!!!!!! I am stoked.  It only took 14 hours of traveling!!  From Boston to London to Manchester..then I took 5 different trains I can't even recall what towns I was in to eventually get to Lake Windermere!

These lovely two ladies picked me up at the station! Hilarious.  Super nice and welcoming!